Boko Haram in failed cross-border attack on Bosso, Nigeria. On February 6, Boko Haram launched an attack along the northeast extremity of its border with Niger. The attack was repelled by a combination of Niger troops and Chadian air power. According to state-controlled news outlets in the country, four soldiers were killed and 13 injured. Boko Haram reportedly suffered over 100 casualties, a figure that should be taken with a grain of salt given the tendency to exaggerate government victories. The Niger military is in need of some good news following the embarrassing rout of a multinational base in Baga (on the shores of Lake Chad) in early January.

The attack will likely embolden lawmakers in Niger to pass an upcoming proposal to send troops to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram. The vote comes on the heels of Chad’s recent pledge to provide 2,500 troops to a 7,500-large multinational force under the flag of the African Union (AU).